MINE OWN EXECUTIONER

by Nigel Balchin ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 30, 1946

Again the lively intelligence, the sharp sense of drama which made The Small Back Room distinctive, in a second novel which centers on the psychoanalytic profession with none of the abuse to which it is usually subjected. This is the story of Felix Milne, with a talent for patience and understanding, a London practice of aimless, affluent women, a wife whom he loves but no longer wants, and Barbara, who brings out his shopgirl tendencies in sex. Dissatisfied with himself, with the waste of his time and talent by middle-aged matrons, he gets a chance to vindicate his professional ability in Lucian, a casualty of this war, who has twice tried to kill the wife he loves. At first resistant and resentful, Lucian begins to bend under treatment, shows a promise of cure when- in a bad moment- he kills his wife and himself. Milne, without the medical degree which would make him untouchable, is subjected to the inquest by law, refuses to evade responsibility to clear himself...This is psychiatry as intelligent as it has been practised in print, it is also a holding story, not without irony and with little illusion, but perhaps a little too civilized for the wider public.

Pub Date: July 30, 1946

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Houghton, Mifflin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1946

Categories: FICTION